U23 Viet Nam vs U23 Indonesia: Vietnamese coach optimistic, Indonesian key players absent
Park Hang-seo's teachers and students are facing the first challenge at SEA Games 31 in the opening match against the Indonesian U23 football team on May 6 in Viet Tri stadium.
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| U23 Viet Nam vs U23 Indonesia: Vietnamese coach optimistic, Indonesian key players absent. (Photo: Nhan Dan) |
In Group A, Indonesia and Viet Nam are viewed as strong contenders for a berth in the semifinals.
Talking about the game with Indonesia, Park noted Viet Nam defeated Indonesia to win gold at the 30th SEA Games in the Philippines in 2019. However, Indonesia have a new head coach and have made significant improvements.
"Viet Nam’s U23 footballers are under great pressure, but I’m certain we’ll make the fans happy at SEA Games 31", head coach Park Hang-seo said on May 5.
He made the remark at a press conference together with other coaches of the teams in Group A.
Park said Viet Nam are the defending champions, and he knows the Vietnamese people have high expectations for the team.
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| Vietnamese fans at Viet Tri Stadium. (Photo: Nhan dan) |
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| Indonesian fans at Viet Tri Stadium. (Photo: Nhan dan) |
Shin Tae-yong, head coach of Indonesia’s U23 team, said his team have new and talented players, and are confident ahead of their game with Viet Nam.
Viet Nam will have advantage of being the host, but Indonesia will give it their all, he said.
However, on the eve of the match, two talented players of the Indonesian U23 team, Asnawi Mangkualam and Elkan Baggott, had not yet landed in Viet Nam.
The former plays for Ipswich Town in the UK, while the latter is a member of the Ansan Greeners FC of the Republic of Korea (RoK). As the two clubs do not allow the players to go, they will not arrive in Viet Nam before May 8.
According to General Secretary of the Indonesian Football Association Yunus Nusi, Asnawi still has to play for the Ansan Greeners FC on May 7, adding that he will go to Viet Nam to join the Indonesian U23 team after the match.
Indonesian team coach Shin Tae-yong said that the team has a lot of good players who are playing abroad, he said at a press conference, adding that this is very good for Indonesian football.
Their opening match is taking place at Viet Tri Stadium in Viet Tri city, Phu Tho province and broadcast live on VTV5 and VTV6.
